Electrical switch



1929- A. G. STEINMAYER ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Oct. 12, 1925 PatentedOct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALWIN G. STEINMAYER, OFMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, .ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LINEMATERIAL COMPANY, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRICAL SWITCH Application filed October 12,1925.

v This invention relates to certain new and useful lmprovements 1nelectrical switches of that type illustrated in U. S. Letters Patent No.1,404,609, issued Hiram M. Hearn, J anu- M 24, 1922.

It is a general object of this invention to generally improve andsimplify the construction of switches of the character described.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of improvedmovable switch contact members to insure good electrical connectionbetween the switch members when closed and which will produce a quickbreak upon opening movement to reduce destructive arcing forces to aminimum.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improvedswitch of the character described in which all possible di; electricloss between the conductors and the contacts per se is reduced to aminimum and at the same time freedom of movement bethe opening of theswitch, especially under sleet and ice conditions, and which is so designed as to insure their positive contacting at the time the switch isopened so that the arc is sure to be broken at the horns.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription pro ceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest mode I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, with parts Serial No. 62,022.

broken away and in section to illustrate a switch unit embodying myinvention, and

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of my improved switch, parts thereofbeing broken away and in section.

The improved switch unlt illustrated 1n the accompanying drawing isespecially adapted to be employed 111 a seri s of three for use in a "lll '1 t '1 b l'l r not ,3 use Cllolllt, are iou 1 1 W1 A e rear 1 yappreciated that any number of the units may be employed. In theaccompanying drawbut a single unit has been illustrated which is mountedupon a transverse beam or supporting member 5, which may or may not bepart of a supporting tower or platform,

not shown.

The unit proper consists of two movable switch member arms 6 and 7, ofspecial construction to be later described, which are mounted oninsulators 8 and 9, respectively. 7

The insulators 8 and 9 are preferably of the pettieoat type and arefixed on bases 10 and 11 carried by shafts 12 and 13, respectively,readily rotatably mounted in bearings 14 and 15, respectively, fixed, asat 16, to the beam 5,

the shaft 12 having its lower end 17 extended below the beam 5 toreceive an operating means now about to be described.

The operating means for the unit, in the present embodiment, consists ofa tubular 30 serrated for engagement with the serrated face of flange 28formed on a collar 24. The collar 24-. is normally free on the shaft 18and is adjustably connectible with the collar 21, and consequently theshaft 18, by binding bolts 25 passed through extended lugs 26 formed onthe collar 21 and having washers 27 which bind against the adjacentperipheral edge portion of the flange 23 and upwardly extendedprojections 28 on the upper ends of the lugs 26. The collar 24: has anoperating bearing 20 fixed to the tower or 85 lever 29 pivotallyconnected therewith, as at 30, so that the same may drop to a verticalposition when not in use or to a horizontal position to rotate the shaft18 and consequently the switch unit or units. The manner of connectingthe collar carrying the lever 29 with the shaft 18 permits itsconvenient setting in any desired position, as the adjustment thereofmay be readily accomplished from the ground without necessitatingclimbing up onto the support 5.

Each insulator has a metal cap or top member 31 mounted thereon and theouter end of the adjacent movable switch member or arm is fixed theretoby bolts or other means 32. The arms 7 are of channel or U-shape incross section and their outer ends are preferably enlarged to fit thecaps 31 and the bottom flanges thereof are provided with enlargements 33in axial alignment with the axes of the insulators and carry anchors forthe bolts or rods 34 which pass upwardly through the top flanges of thearms to provide an adjustable mount for the arc horns 35.

The are horns 35 are of hair pin shape as illustrated in the drawing andare designed to be placed under tension upon closing of the switch andto remain in en a ement until the t L) switch has been fully opened tothus carry any are which may be formed to the ends of the horns where itis readily broken. The inner end of each horn is formed with a loop oreye portion 36 which is secured between clamping plates 37 secured overthe adjacent bolt 34 and there clamped by a nut 38.

Swiveled on the portion of the shank of lock bolt 34 positioned withinthe channel of the adjacent arm is a terminal anchor or block member 39which extends laterally from the switch member and has anchored thereto,by a clamp member 40 and a socket terminal 41, the line or conductor 42.The socket terminal is bolted to the anchor arm 39 at a medial point, asat 43, and has one end of a lead 44 electrically connected therewith,the lead 44 being preferably of woven copper and having its inner endelectrically connected, as at 45, with a contact member 46, now about tobe described.

The contact members 46 are substantially identical in construction and,therefore, the description of one will suffice for both. The inner endof each movable switch member arm has its vertical wall bulged outwardlyto form a recess 47 and the contact member 46 of that arm is mediallypivoted therein by a pin 48, the inwardly extended end 49 of the contactmember located in the recess having an ex pansile spring 50 confinedbetween it and the recess wall 51 so that the contact portion or face 52of the contact member is normally urged to have a good electricalconnection with the contact member carried by the other switch arm whenthe switch is closed.

Extended laterally from the base 11 of the insulator 9 is a crank arni53 which is pivotally connected. with the arm 54 of a bell crank 55fixed to the base 10 of the insulator 8 by a link 56 connected with thecrank arms 53 and 55 by pivots 57 and 58, respectively. The other arm 59of the bell crank lever 55 is pivotally connected, as at 60, with anadjusting member 61 mounted on a longitudinally shiftable rod 62 whichprovides means for operating other units, not shown, from the unitillustrated. Should but a single unit be used, the arm 59 and the rod 62are eliminated. The other units of the series differ from the oneillustrated only in that an operating rod 18 is not connected with theextended ends of the shafts thereof and instead the ends of their shafts12 are rotatably locked in position by bolts and washers 63, asillustrated in connection with the shaft 13.

Assuming the parts to be in the position illustrated in'l igure 1,rotation of the lever 29 in a clockwise direction with respect to Figure1, simultaneously rotates shafts 12 and 13 and the contact portions 52of the members 46 separate. The horns 35 remain in contact until afterthe members 46 have separated, thereby protecting the same againstdestructive arcing.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. In a switch construction, a supportinsulator, a movable switch arm having its in ner end mounted on theinsulator whereby the outer end of the arm moves through an arc tocircuit making and breaking positions, a contact member carried by theouter end of the switch arm, an anchor member having its inner endswingingly mounted adjacent the inner end of the switch arm, means forclamping line conductor to said anchor member whereby the stress of theline is carried thereby, a flexible conductor having one endelectricallyconnected with the contact member,

a socket terminal in which the end of the line conductor is electricallyconnected and means for securing said socket terminal to the anchormember with the free end of the flexible conductor impingedtherebetween.

2. In a switch construction, a pair of rotatable supports, switchmembers carried by the supports, means for rotating-the switch .membersto electrically engage and disengage the same, and inverted hair-pinshaped arcing horns carried by the supports and adapted to have goodelectrical contact at the time the switch is initially opened wherebythe arc raises up on the horns and is broken therebetween.

3. In a switch construction, a pair of r0- tatable supports, switchmembers carried by the supports, means for rotating the switch membersto electrically engage and disengage the same, and invertedsubstantially hair-pin shaped arcing horns carried by the supports andadapted to have good electrical contact at the time the switch isinitially opened whereby the are raises up on the horns and is brokentherebetween, said horns engaging prior to the engagement of the switchmem bers in the closing of the switch and remaining under tension Whilethe switch is closed to thus assist in the initial opening movement ofthe switch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ALWIN G. STEINMAYER.

